HP and Gilt might offer the most stylish smartwatch yet

HP wants to get in on the smartwatch action, but in a quest to deliver something which stands out from the crowd HP isn’t going it alone. The company is partnering with Gilt and fashion designer Michael Bastian.

Under the hood the watch features HP hardware and the ability to pair with an iPhone or Android phone so you can receive notifications on your wrist, control music playback, or check the weather, among other things.

But unlike some smartwatches, this wristwear has a high-end finish, a stainless steel case, a choice of rubber or leather straps, and a round face (which is uncommon, but not unheard of in the smartwatch space).

It looks like you’ll use buttons rather then a touchscreen to interact with the watch, so don’t expect all the features you’d get with an Android Wear or Samsung Gear watch. But if you’ve been avoiding the smart wearable space because all of the existing options are just too ugly, it looks like HP and its partners hope to change that.

HP and Gilt haven’t announced how much the watch will cost or exactly when it will be available, but it should go on sale this fall at Gilt.com.

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I don’t understand the appeal of these increasingly gaudy smart watches. I like the unobtrusive look of my Pebble and the design of the LG Android Wear watch. Why should a smartwatch be flashy and chintzy? The only ‘fashion statement’ being made with these is “Look at me! I’m so much better than you with my new, showy watch.”